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Sharks-Stars Preview

Mar 15, 2010 - 5:59 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

San Jose (43-15-10) at Dallas (29-26-13), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The San Jose Sharks didn't start a six-game road trip the way they wanted, but the second stop is in a place where they have enjoyed plenty of success.

The Sharks look to continue their road dominance of the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night in the first of three meetings between the Pacific Division rivals this month.

San Jose (43-15-10) fell 4-2 at Anaheim on Sunday, falling behind by three goals after one period as top goal scorers Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau both failed to score.

"I think we can live with a loss if we're working our butts off, but we cannot not work hard," said defenseman Dan Boyle, who had a season-high 12 penalty minutes.

The Sharks are seven points ahead of Phoenix atop the division and two ahead of Chicago for the Western Conference lead. Early exits from the playoffs in the past, though, have San Jose concerned about any poor play before the postseason.

"Even though we're sitting in a good position, we were in the same position last year," Boyle said. "If we're going to coast, we're going to coast downhill. Our effort wasn't there tonight. Everybody needs to show up and make a difference. When only half the team shows up, that's a problem."

Marleau had three goals and five assists in his previous four games before Sunday's loss, going pointless for a fifth consecutive road game. Heatley is pointless in four straight away from home, but he has two goals and three assists in three meetings with the Stars this season.

San Jose has not played Dallas (29-26-13) since a 4-2 road victory Dec. 21 as Marleau scored twice and Evgeni Nabokov made 36 saves. The Sharks have won four straight and eight of nine on the road against the Stars.

Dallas won the other two matchups this season in shootouts. The teams meet again in San Jose on March 25 and March 31 in Dallas.

The Stars fell to 1-5-1 since the Olympic break after a 5-3 home loss to Colorado on Sunday. Brandon Segal had two goals and defenseman Mark Fistric added two assists for Dallas, in 12th place in the West.

"It's really frustrating," Segal said. "It's definitely bittersweet to get two goals and lose. We need wins right now, that's the most important thing. It's a do-or-die situation for us right now."

Marty Turco, 1-4-1 with a 4.14 goals-against average this month, was pulled Sunday after allowing four goals on 18 shots.

"I thought that was the call that needed to be made," coach Marc Crawford said.

Turco is 1-7-1 with a 3.12 GAA in the last nine home games versus the Sharks while backup Kari Lehtonen is 0-2 with a 4.50 GAA in two career starts against them.

Nabokov is 8-0-0 with a 1.43 GAA in his last nine starts in Dallas.

"We have to realize one thing - that teams are going to be desperate," Nabokov said. "We are facing only desperate teams, so we have to be prepared and play almost as desperate as they are - because if we don't match their work ethic, we are not going to win."